Stranded
by Not-Yours
Summary: Angst and rain! Ginny deals with loss and uncertainty of the future...


Ginny lifted her face to the sky, a small smile tugging at her lips as the rain streamed down her face, soaking her robe. The fabric clung to her body like a second skin of thick cotton. As uncomfortable as it was, Ginny just stood there, letting the rain straighten her hair, plastering it across her forehead, down her back. Her smile widened, a laugh escaped her mouth as she began to twirl around in circles, her eyes still shut, the drenched garment hindering her movements. The hem of the robe caught under her feet and Ginny spilled to the ground. For a moment, she laid there stunned, staring up at the gray clouds above, then pulled herself to a sitting position. She wrapped her arms around her knees as she caught her breath, watching the bright green blades of grass droop under the weight of the falling droplets. Annoyed, Ginny realized that there were probably grass stains on her robe now, but she had never really paid attention to the condition of her clothes anyway. The last time it had rained like this...  
  
'No,' she shook her head, 'Don't think about it. It's over. Stop it, Virginia Weasley.'  
  
But it was no use. Her throat tightened and her vision became blurry. She tried to blink it away, but that only made it worse. Tears streamed down her face, mingling with the rainwater.  
  
'Can't show, keep it inside,' she told herself, 'Don't be stupid!'  
  
She buried her face in her knees and let the hysterical wails escape into the fabric. She had no idea how long she cried. When the tears subsided, she sat there, watching the rain again. It was then she realized how cold it was outside, but couldn't move. She felt numb.  
  
"Gin," two strong hands gently held her shoulders, "We've been looking for you. Come inside, you've got to change before you get sick."  
  
Ginny snorted indignantly, "I really couldn't care less."  
  
"He had to leave," Harry insisted, "Otherwise..."  
  
"I know!" Ginny stood to yell at him, "I know what would have happened, and I know what will happen if he ever comes back! What would you do, you, if you had to tell someone you loved that you can never see them again?! No explaination! Just 'Oh, I can't love you. I think you should go away now.' and you both know it's not true? How would you feel, Harry?"  
  
"Ginny...," He looked at her helplessly.  
  
Her arms dropped limply to her sides, "I'm so tired..."  
  
She swayed forward and Harry quickly stepped forward to catch her. He lifted her into his arms and carried her toward The Burrow. Hermione opened the door, watching their approach.  
  
"Why did this have to happen?"she quietly asked the sky.  
  
*  
  
A deal was struck. A life for a life. Nothing unusual. Really, only a small bargain. No death. Just a life.  
  
*  
  
"How is she?" Hermione leaned against the door frame to the kitchen, waiting for Harry at the landing of the staircase.  
  
Harry shook his head, "How d'you expect her to be? I don't know, 'Mione. She's been so depressed. "  
  
Hermione sighed, "I don't get it."  
  
Ron had been sitting quietly at the table, his head buried in his arms. He sat up, surveying his two friends, then calmly stated, "If he ever comes here, I'll kill him."  
  
"Ron,"Hermione began, "It's not his-"  
  
"I don't care! It's all his fault that she's like this! Ever since she met him,"Ron threw his hands up in exasperation, " I don't know! She's changed! I thought that, I don't know..."  
  
Harry folded his arms thoughtfully, "Ron, you're only her brother. You couldn't protect her forever. Besides, she really was happy. It was good for her, you know?"  
  
"But him?"Ron spat, slamming his fist on the table.  
  
Hermione put her hand on his shoulder, "Ron..."  
  
"What?"he muttered, looking down at his hands clasped on the table.  
  
"He made her happy,"Hermione tried to explain, "He was like a different person when he was with her."  
  
"They'd been dating for years, and you constantly told her how much you hated him," Harry reasoned, "That didn't make a difference, did it?"  
  
Ron looked up, "But..."  
  
"I know, Ron," Hermione hugged him from behind, "It hurts all of us."  
  
*  
  
Ginny could hear the arguing in the kitchen in her bedroom. She curled under the sheets and put a pillow over her head.  
  
'Maybe I could smother myself...' she thought, then instantly took it back.  
  
It was strange, being back in this house, back in her room. Pictures from her high school years still hung on the walls, all of her old clothes still in the closet, stuffed animals on the window sill. A picture of herself, Ron, Fred, George and Harry was in a frame next to her mirror. Several Hogwarts books still sitting on her desk. It was almost as if she were fifteen years old again.  
  
Every thing was so much simpler then... crush on Harry, fight evil creatures, get captured, get rescued, and that was that. As she got older the fights turned to war, the crush faded, and Ginny found herself being rescued less and less.  
  
The book on her desk. Ancient Dragons of England. He had given that to her. It was the first book he had bought, four years ago.  
  
*  
  
In celebration of her graduation from Hogwarts, Pansy Parkinson decided to throw a huge costume ball at her parents house in the country. Of course, the entire school was invited, and anyone who didn't go was a social outcast. Harry, Hermione and Ron were all going, so Ginny tagged along again, like she always had. Hermione was dressed as some sort of Greek goddess , Harry wearing a costume suspiciously similar to the everyday wear of Snape, and Ron was decked out in Chudley Cannons gear, telling everyone who asked that he was a beater for the team. Ginny pulled out an old robe she hadn't worn for years, made some adjustments and turned up with a light blue princess dress. Hermione did a spell on her hair, coiling it up into intricate spirals, held in place by a tiara. By requirement of the invitation, everyone had to wear masks, disguising their faces.  
  
The Parkinson house was swarming with Hogwarts student. There was a contest for the most creative costume, which went to a second year girl. She was dressed in gold lame, running around aimlessly in the room, the wings attached to her back fluttering madly. When she was pulled up to the platform, the person giving her the award asked what she was.  
  
"I'm a snitch!"she declared, then hopped down and disappeared into the crowd. Ginny separated herself from the trio, heading over to the balcony outside the ballroom.  
  
"Crowded, isn't it?"a male voice came out of the darkness. She looked to her left and found a man there, dressed all in black with a white mask over his face.  
  
"A bit,"she agreed. He stood up and walked over to her.  
  
"I never could stand parties, but I had to come to this one. Graduation and all."  
  
"Mm. You're graduating?"  
  
"Finally."  
  
Ginny laughed, "So, what are you supposed to be?"  
  
"Vampire,"he flashed his fangs, "You?"  
  
"Princess,"she pulled on her dress, as if to prove it. A conversation followed, trite, but interesting. It ended suddenly when Pansy burst out onto the balcony. She was hard to miss, dressed as a princess as well, but had a spell cast that caused her to literally glow.  
  
"There you are!"she squealed, grabbing the vampire and pulling him away, "I've been looking for you all over!"  
  
He stood there stiffly, "And you've found me," he turned to Ginny, "It was nice talking to you. I'm sure we'll meet again.  
  
"I'm sure we will,"she nodded, watching him get pulled away by Pansy. It was then she realized that she never even asked for his name. 


End file.
